Grief and Culture
Grief is a universal concept that varies culture to culture. This portion of the site hopes to help teachers with cultural responsiveness and grief.
One culture may avoid the topic of death. Anothers may expect its members not to say the deceased's name. One may hire people to cry at funerals. Some cultures may wait to bury the dead for 3 years while others may bury within the week of the death. One culture may create billboards featuring the deceased.
Cultural Responsiveness and Grief
This website discusses grief and culture. It includes a pdf document with questions for the grieving individual to complete. It provides the person grieving to communicate what they were taught and shown with the topic of grief in their families and childhood.
Coalition to Support Grieving Students video
Culture and Grief
5:11
Summary: "Families from different cultures may follow specific traditions, rituals, and practices after a death. Although there are real differences between cultures, the fundamental experience of grief is universal. Rather than attempting to gain knowledge about every culture, teachers can aspire to achieve a general sensitivity to the unique needs of children and families coping with loss."